WASHINGTON, USA: Larry Ellison, the founder and chief executive of software major Oracle Corp topped the list of best-paid executives in public companies during the past decade, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. He is receiving $1.84 billion as compensation, said the report.

The 65-year-old software pioneer, who founded Oracle in 1977, beat Internet tycoon Barry Diller into second place on just over one billion dollars, said WSJ. Occidental Petroleum Corp. CEO Ray Irani came in third place, with $857 million and Apple CEO Steve Jobs came in fourth with $749 million.

Jobs took a one dollar annual salary throughout the decade, but ranked fourth primarily because of a 647 million dollar gain on restricted stock that was granted in 2003 and vested in 2006. He still holds the shares.